Developmental Milestones: 3 to 4 Year Olds

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What are some of the developmental milestones my child should reach by three to four years of age?

With your child’s third birthday, the “terrible twos” are officially over and the “magic years” of three and four begin—a time when your child’s world will be dominated by fantasy and vivid imagination. During the next two years, he’ll mature in many areas.

Here are some milestones to look for.

Movement milestones

Hops and stands on one foot up to five seconds

Goes upstairs and downstairs without support

Kicks ball forward

Throws ball overhand

Catches bounced ball most of the time

Moves forward and backward with agility

Milestones in hand and finger skills

Copies square shapes

Draws a person with two to four body parts

Uses scissors

Draws circles and squares

Begins to copy some capital letters

Language milestones

Understands the concepts of “same” and “different”

Has mastered some basic rules of grammar

Speaks in sentences of five to six words

Speaks clearly enough for strangers to understand

Tells stories

Cognitive milestones

Correctly names some colors

Understands the concept of counting and may know a few numbers

Approaches problems from a single point of view

Begins to have a clearer sense of time

Follows three-part commands

Recalls parts of a story

Understands the concept of same/different

Engages in fantasy play

Social and emotional milestones

Interested in new experiences

Cooperates with other children

Plays “Mom” or “Dad”

Increasingly inventive in fantasy play

Dresses and undresses

Negotiates solutions to conflicts

More independent

Imagines that many unfamiliar images may be “monsters”

Views self as a whole person involving body, mind, and feelings

Often cannot distinguish between fantasy and reality

Developmental health watch

Because each child develops in his own particular manner, it’s impossible to tell exactly when or how he’ll perfect a given skill. The developmental milestones listed here will give you a general idea of the changes you can expect as your child gets older, but don’t be alarmed if his development takes a slightly different course. Alert your pediatrician, however, if your child displays any of the following signs of possible developmental delay for this age range.

The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.